The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Verbena hybrida plant obtained from crossing a Verbena hybrida plant named `Novaris Rosepink with eye` (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant, Verbena peruviana (.male.), native to Brazil.
The verbena is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the verbena plant which have a spreading growth habit, much branching, a large number of flowers in a cluster and which have a high resistance to rain, heat, cold, and diseases. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a spreading growth habit, strong branching, a large number of flowers in a cluster, a flower of large diameter, a high tolerance to heat and cold, resistance to diseases and pests, and also having purplish pink colored petals.
The new variety of verbena plant according to this invention originated from the crossing of a Verbena hybrida plant named `NOVARIS Rosepink with eye` (non-patented in the United States) (.female.) and a wild type of verbena plant, Verbena peruviana (.male.), native to Brazil.
Initially, 50 seedlings were obtained in the autumn of 1994, from crossing `NOVARIS Rosepink with eye` as female parent and a wild type of verbena plant (Verbena peruviana f. rosea) as pollen parent in May of 1994. From this crossing, 3 seedlings were selected in view of spreading growth habit and were propagated by cuttings, and then grown as a trial by flower bedding and planters from the spring of 1995. Finally, only one plant was selected from these 3 seedlings in the autumn of 1995 and the botanical characteristics of the seedling were examined, using the similar varieties `Sumaripi` (non-patented in the United States) and `NOVARIS Rosepink with eye` for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Verbena hybrida plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics. The new variety of verbena plant of the present invention was named `Sunmariripi`.
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Colour Chart) is also added for reference.
`NOVARIS Rosepink with eye` was used as the female parent when obtaining this new variety, `Sunmariripi`, and is publically available. The main botanical characteristics of `NOVARIS Rosepink with eye` when grown at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Low resistance to diseases and pests, and low tolerance to heat and cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, and high tolerance to heat and cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, particularly powdery mildew. High tolerance to heat and moderate tolerance to cold.
Growth habit.--Erect. PA2 Plant height.--20-30 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--15-20 cm. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Absent. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-2.5 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Dark yellow green (R.H.S. 146A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Slightly curved. PA2 Diameter.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color.--Deep pink (R.H.S. 52C, JHS 0105). PA2 Color intensity.--Absent. . PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Opened. PA2 Flower cluster.--30-40 mm in length; and 40-50 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.0-1.5 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Absent. PA2 Peduncle.--2-3 mm in thickness; and 50-60 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Medium (approximately 10-14). PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Long. PA2 Growth habit.--Spreading. PA2 Plant height.--10-20 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--100-150 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.0-2.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--3.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Medium olive green (R.H.S. 146A, JHS 3509). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Slightly curved. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color.--Strong reddish purple (R.H.S. 77B, JHS 8911). PA2 Color intensity.--Absent. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Opened. PA2 Flower cluster.--30-40 mm in length; and 50-60 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Absent. PA2 Peduncle.--1-2 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Plentiful (approximately 10-14). PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Short. PA2 Growth habit.--Spreading. PA2 Plant height.--15-25 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. PA2 Growth.--Very vigorous with abundant branching and great profusion of blooms with the whole plant remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Abundant. PA2 Pubescence.--Medium. PA2 Length of internode.--4.0-5.0 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Hastate. PA2 Length.--4.0-5.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-2.5 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Shallow. PA2 Color.--Grayish olive green (R.H.S. 137A-137B, JHS 3716). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Upward. PA2 Outward curvature of petal.--Curved. PA2 Diameter.--1.5-2.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20 mm. PA2 Color.--Deep purplish pink (R.H.S. 70C, JHS 9213). PA2 Color intensity.--Present. PA2 Overlapping of petals.--Separate. PA2 Flower cluster.--30-35 mm in length; and 50-55 mm in diameter. PA2 Calyx.--1.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--2-3 mm in thickness; and 5.0-6.0 cm in length. PA2 Number of flowers.--Plentiful (approximately 13-15). PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 5 stamens. PA2 Flower fragrance.--Absent. PA2 Flowering duration.--Long.
The pollen parent used when obtaining the new variety, `Sunmariripi`, was a wild type of verbena native to South Brazil and botanically known as Verbena peruviana. This wild type of verbena plant is presently maintained at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The main botanical characteristics of this pollen parent are as follows when grown at this location.
`Sunmaripi` was used as a comparison for this new variety `Sunmariripi`. The main botanical characteristics of `Sunmaripi` are as follows when grown at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan.
This new variety of verbena plant, `Sunmariripi`, was asexually reproduced by cuttings at the aforementioned Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan, and the homogeneity and stability thereof were confirmed. The characteristics of the new variety are fully stable following such asexual reproduction.